TRU Survival stocks goods anyone would need after the big one hits

Seeds which haven't been genetically modified to only allow for one crop are shown at the TRU Survival store at 72. W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson on Saturday, March 1, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

TRU Survival stocks goods anyone would need after the big one hits

Freeze-dried foods with a claimed shelf life of 25 to 30 years are shown at the TRU Survival store at 72. W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson on Saturday, March 1, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

TRU Survival stocks goods anyone would need after the big one hits

Co-owners of the TRU Survival store, from left, Taylor and Michael Stoker and Chris and Nicole Evans are shown with mannequin Tactical Timmy at 72. W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson on Saturday, March 1, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

TRU Survival stocks goods anyone would need after the big one hits

A selection of books dealing with survival are shown at the TRU Survival store at 72. W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson on Saturday, March 1, 2014. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

By KAY FOLEYLAS VEGAS BUSINESS PRESS

TRU Survival is a place where gun owners buying ammunition mingle with hikers buying first-aid kits and housewives stocking up on food-storage meals.

Although the Henderson store doesn’t sell guns, it stocks ammo of all types, as well as shooting accessories, camping gear, tactical clothing and medical supplies.

The business is owned and managed by Chris Evans; his wife, Nicole; her brother, Mike Stoker; and his wife, Taylor. The four partners share duties, with Mike Stoker acting as store manager.

Chris and Nicole Evans are both licensed physical therapists who also own TRU Physical Therapy. TRU Survival opened for business in November.

Chris Evans said business usually picks up if there’s a political crisis or natural disaster that generates concern about the future, but he added, “We’re not prepping for a zombie apocalypse. We’re just selling things people should have in their homes or cars to make sure they’re prepared for emergencies. Society is changing quickly. People have lost faith that the government will be able to do anything right in a crisis. Our store sells items that allow people to purchase comfort in their own ability to take care of themselves.”

“We wanted to open a place where a mom can feel comfortable bringing her kids,” Evans said. “Our clients are mostly everyday people from Henderson. Our clientele ranges from moms with six kids to Navy SEALs. There is something for everyone at TRU Survival. We appeal to everyone, not just hard-core preppers.”

Mike Stoker said the store stocked a few first-aid items when it opened, but customers kept asking for more, and now it has an entire rack of medical supplies, with everything from Band-Aids to Combat Application Tourniquets, which a person can tighten by himself if necessary.

“Metro, SWAT teams and paramedics come in all the time to get medical supplies,” he said.

He related the story of a Henderson police officer who got shot by a bullet that hit his femoral artery.

“He was able to stop the bleeding himself by using a CAT until he could get to the hospital. He came in afterward to tell us that it had saved his life.”

The store is becoming popular with mountain bikers, hikers and off-roaders who buy snakebite kits, clotting powder and other first-aid items.

Evans noted that food storage is also a big seller, especially for Mormon families whose church encourages them to stock food for emergencies, which can include financial emergencies as well as natural disasters.

The store sells cans of entrees, from spaghetti and meatballs to scrambled-egg breakfasts, with nine or 10 servings in a can. Larger buckets contain a month’s supply of meals in resealable pouches. Prices range from about $2 to $4 per meal, and the food has a shelf life of about 25 years.

The store also sells 55-gallon drums for secure water storage, and heirloom vegetable seeds that produce plants capable of re-seeding themselves every year.

TRU Survival offers free classes most weekends on subjects such as food and water storage, self-defense, basic survival and how to build an emergency pack.

For more information, call 702-776-3664 or visit Facebook.com/trusurvival.

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